DODGERS NOTEBOOK: LAROCHE, ABREU MIGHT GET LOOKS.Byline: TONY JACKSON
Anthony (Antonio) Jackson, best known as Tony Jackson Staff Writer ATLANTA -- Dodgers general manager Ned Colletti Ned Louis Colletti, Jr. is the General Manager for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Colletti graduated from East Leyden High School in Franklin Park, Illinois and Northern Illinois University. Colletti began his Major League Career in 1982 with the Chicago Cubs. hinted before Saturday's game he is considering promoting either Andy LaRoche Andrew Christian LaRoche (born September 13, 1983 in Fort Scott, Kansas), is an infielder currently playing for the Los Angeles Dodgers. Andy is the son of Dave LaRoche, a former Major League Baseball pitcher for the California Angels, and brother of Adam LaRoche, a first or Tony Abreu Etanislao Toni Abreu [ah-BREH-yu] (born November 13, 1984 in Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic) is a Major League Baseball second baseman & third baseman who plays for the Los Angeles Dodgers. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed. from Triple-A Las Vegas Las Vegas (läs vā`gəs), city (1990 pop. 258,295), seat of Clark co., S Nev.; inc. 1911. It is the largest city in Nevada and the center of one of the fastest-growing urban areas in the United States. to fill the club's gaping offensive hole at third base. It was merely the latest subtle warning aimed at Wilson Betemit Wilson Betemit, pronounced Bay-tah-mee [1], though many broadcasters mispronounce it Bet-uh-mit, (born November 2, 1981, in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic) is a 6' 3" switch-hitting Major League Baseball infielder for the New York Yankees. , who has played stellar defense all season but continues to struggle at the plate. Betemit was out of the lineup Saturday, but came through with a pinch- hit homer off Atlanta's Tim Hudson -- Betemit's first of the season -- in the eighth inning to give the Dodgers a valuable insurance run. "I think (LaRoche and Abreu) are both ready to be given consideration," Colletti said. "We won't know if they're ready (for the majors) until after we watch them play in the big leagues for a while. But they are both on the verge On the Verge (or The Geography of Yearning) is a play written by Eric Overmyer. It makes extensive use of esoteric language and pop culture references from the late nineteenth century to 1955. of making us make a decision." Meanwhile, there are indications from various sources around the league that the Dodgers are actively pursuing a third baseman via trade. But there aren't many available, and acquiring such a player clearly would cost the Dodgers at least one of their prized prospects. The switch-hitting Betemit struck out three times Friday night, each one with at least tworunners on base, and manager Grady Little said after that game Betemit had hit "rock bottom." Predictably, Betemit was out of the lineup against Hudson, one of the toughest pitchers in the leagues, and Little wouldn't say whether Betemit's benching was a one-day thing or a long-term one. LaRoche, long considered the club's top third-base prospect, has never really gotten untracked at Las Vegas this season. He entered Friday hitting .235 with just four doubles and three homers. Abreu, a second baseman who is just now learning to play third and is starting there only on the two days a week when LaRoche plays left field, was hitting .351. But Abreu had been hitting over .400 as recently as a week ago. Either player would be a defensive downgrade from Betemit, who went into the night batting .125, including just .067 (1 for 15) from the right side. Betemit also is out of minor-league options, meaning the club would have to risk losing him via the waiver wire before he could be sent to the minors. That means Betemit probably isn't in much danger of going any farther down than the Dodgers' bench. "I have to be relentlessly aggressive and patient at the same time," Colletti said. "I don't want to just make a kneejerk reaction." Back in action: Reliever Yhency Brazoban, coming off Tommy John surgery Tommy John surgery, known by doctors as ulnar collateral ligament reconstruction (or UCL), is a surgical procedure in which a ligament in the medial elbow is replaced with a tendon from elsewhere in the body (often from the forearm, hamstring, knee, or foot of the last year, was activated and optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas today. CAPTION(S): box Box: DODGERS at ATLANTA - Tony Jackson |
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